Action Figure Insider » Jeff Copehttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com
The Best Darn Toy News On The Web!Sun, 02 Aug 2015 13:00:37 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Amazing Heroes Wave 1.5 Interviewhttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/amazing-heroes-wave-1-5-interview/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/amazing-heroes-wave-1-5-interview/#commentsTue, 16 Dec 2014 19:35:43 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=111451This past summer Bill Murphy of Fresh Monkey Fiction launched a Kickstarter to bring his Amazing Heroes action figure line to plastic life. Amazing Heroes is focused on the somewhat forgotten heroes of the Golden Age of Comics such as the original Dare-devil, Stardust the Super Wizard, the Black Terror and others, including Captain Action. The campaign successfully funded in August, but wasn’t able to to reach the stretch goals of Champion of Mars and Silver Streak.

Not content to let those characters fall by the wayside, Bill is back with the Wave 1.5 Kickstarter to add both Champion of Mars and Silver Streak to the initial production run of the line. And, for good measure Mike Allred’s Madman was also added. Initially as a stretch goal if the campaign hit $22,000 but was later unlocked early and is now available to pledge for.

As I’m typing this, the campaign has broken $12,000 and is headed towards it’s $15K goal in a little less than 5 short days (ends on December 21. 2014).

We spoke with Bill during the initial Kickstarter campaign, and wanted to check back while Wave 1.5 is still running to see how things are going with Amazing Heroes!

AFi: Bill, the initial Amazing Heroes Kickstarter funded back in August. Tell us a bit about what that was like for you, to see your brainchild reach it’s goal and begin it’ journey to plastic reality.

Bill: It’s been great so far, but I still have a long road ahead. This stuff does not happen overnight for sure. It’s a lot of long hours, but it’s spending time working on something you love, so that’s the most gratifying aspect. I’m glad we took the opportunity when we did to expand the line.

AFi: And, now you’re back with Wave 1.5. What brought you back to the well, so to speak?

Bill: Really it was the fans. I kept getting email and Facebook posts asking when/if we were going to make Silver Streak and Champion of Mars. I figured well why not try to raise the funds just like we did the 1st round.

AFi: As of this writing, you recently broke $10,0000. That’s a significant milestone in the campaign. How are you feeling about the campaign’s progress thus far?

Bill: Really good. We have a week left go to. I think the biggest challenge will be to get more internet coverage over the next week. We need to reach comic book fans, not just toy fans. The more comic books sites that pick up the story, the better chance we’ll have of getting the Kickstarter funded.

AFi: I was excited to see the new Kickstarter happen, with the opportunity for Champion of Mars and Silver Streak to be added to the line. But, personally, seeing Madman added to the line put me over the top. How did making Madman as a figure come about?

Bill: It’s all Chris Irving. Chris has been doing a tremendous job not only heading up the social media and writing copy for the campaign, but he’s the BIGGEST fan of the line. He and I share a love for comics. Chris happened to be working with Mike Allred on a book, so he was kind enough to make the introduction. Turns out Mike is HUGE fan of this style of figure, so he was happy to hop on board. I still can’t believe that I’m working with him to create a Madman figure, it’s a dream come true.

AFi: If Wave 1.5 funds is the plan to release these 3 new characters at the same time as the initial lineup?

Bill: That’s the plan, they’ll all be produced at the factory at the same time.

AFi: That creates a pretty significant collection right off the bat. That must be pretty exciting!

Bill: Yeah, we’ll have 10 figures in the line up when the Wave 1.5 Kickstarter funds. I just hope we can fund these new Artist Edition card backs, that’ll really make the collection POP!!! We’ve got some really amazing artists lined up such as Mike Allred, Erik Larsen, Reilly Brown, Tim Seeley, Sonny Liew, Phil Hester, and Tom Fowler.

AFi: Where are things at, pre-production wise?

Bill: We’re in the prototype phase at the moment. We were not happy with the initial prototypes the factory produced so we’re re-doing them and adding some additional parts. We hope to move into production in early Feb.

AFi: Will the figures have peg-holes on the bottom of their feet?

Bill: That’s the plan, but we need to figure out the best size. Any suggestions?

AFi: We’ll put that one out to our readers. Folks, what size of peg hole do you think would work best? Share your toughts in the Comment section below!

AFi: What has been some of the challenges you’ve faced with this Kickstarter? Has it been different with this second one?

I think the biggest challenge is always coverage and exposure. There are a lot of Kickstarters these days, AFi has been great for us as far as exposure, but to be honest I think the majority of websites out there are tired of covering Kickstarter projects. The market is flooded with new Kickstarters every week, so I don’t think the news sites think it’s very “fresh” anymore. This sort of makes me sad cause I really believe in the Kickstater platform. We’ve seen some really great indy toy projects come out of Kickstarter the last year or so and I want to see it continue.

The new Kickstarter has given us a tad more exposure cause we have some really high profile comic creators on board, so that’s different then the first one.

AFi: Assuming Wave 1.5 funds, where do you go from here? When would we potentially see a full Wave 2?

We’ll continue to move into production for the line. That’s the focus moving forward. I want to get these figures into the hands of collectors. The earliest we’d consider a Wave 2 would be late 2015.

AFi: What’s one thing you’d like to communicate to AFi readers about Amazing Heroes?

Well first I want to thank all the supporters of the line, we wouldn’t be at this point without them. As we move into the last week of the Kickstarter, I would ask folks to help spread the word about the latest Kickstarter. I know folks really want to see Madman, Silver Streak and Champion of Mars produced, plus we have some really great comic book artists lined up to do some original packaging art, something that not a lot of toys are doing these days.

AFi: Bill, as always, thank you so much for your time and best of luck with Amazing Heroes!

So, folks, this is crunch time to get these Amazing Heroes made. Remember, Kickstarter doesn’t charge you until the campaign ends, and only if it funds. So, pledging now costs you nothing until December 21st!

They have been attacking the earth since 1962! The invasion began through the original set of trading cards published by the Topps Company, and has continued through toys, comic books, novels, apparel and even a big-budget Hollywood movie (the 1996 Tim Burton film).

And now they’ve come for your tabletop with the release of Mars Attacks: The Miniatures Game from UK-based Mantic Games. The game was funded through a very successful Kickstarter, raising over $500,000 in late 2013. The final product has just begun to appear on store shelves.

When Topps started to aggressively promote the Mars Attacks property again a few years ago for it’s 50th Anniversary (!), I recall them asking on Facebook what sort of products fans wanted to see. I said I wanted some sort of tabletop game. In my mind I was thinking something limited like a Heroclix Fast Forces set. But, Topps had grander plans and approached the good folks at Mantic Games (Kings of War, Dreadball, Deadzone) about making a game based upon Mars Attacks. Mantic turned to game designer Jake Thornton, with whom they’d already developed several other successful games and began work bringing the crazy, over-the-top world of Mars Attacks to the tabletop.

Topps was kind enough to send me a copy of the game so I could take a crack at it. I wasn’t able to pledge for the game during the Kickstarter campaign (although, I did pledge for the Martian Dreadball team)…but, as a longtime fan of Mars Attacks I’ve been following the development of the game with great interest.

My good friend Tom and I cracked open the game last night, and had a blast playing it. The game carries a $79.99 MSRP. That may seem high to you, but it’s pretty standard in the gaming world. Plus, you get a ton of stuff in the box. Check this out:

1 Martian General Tor

20 colored, ready to play Martian Grunts

Detachable transparent clear plastic helmets

9 colored, ready to play Civilian Heroes of Greenville

10 colored, ready to play US Army Troopers

Quick-assemble colored Ruined Buildings

Urban Accessory Set

Connectors

Fold-out T-Junction Battle Mat

Comic-sized Rulebook

Hero Track

54 Game Cards

Injury Counters, Heroics and more!

Event Counters, including Giant Bug and Civilians

Eight-sided Dice

The included fold-out battle mat is your play surface, representing the streets of the once peaceful town of Greenville, USA where the invasion is taking place. The mat is paper. It does the job, but I wanted something more. Fortunately, Mantic offers a deluxe gaming mat made of durable mousepad material. So, I made a quick trip to my local gaming store (Guardian Games in Portland, OR) and picked up the deluxe mat. There’s two separate mats available, a T-junction and a straight road option. I went with the T-junction as it replicated the mat included in the box.

Tom played the Martians, while I played a squad of defending human soldiers. The 40 page rulebook offers 10 different scenarios to play though with differing victory conditions. I love scenarios. Sure, I dig a good shoot out as much as the next guy…but, scenarious offer considerably more variety in gameplay.

One thing I really appreciated about the game is that the plastic miniatures come pre-assembled (except the included Martian helmets), and colored ready for play. The Martians are green, the soliders are tan and the hero characters (human and martian alike) are red. If you like to paint your minis then these are ready for you. If you don’t, that’s fine. You can play with them right away! I enjoy building miniatures, but I like playing games more. It goes a long way to making the game more accessable to a wider audience. The miniatures are very detailed, and overall great looking pieces that bring the Mars Attacks world to life.

Another really cool aspect is the modular scenery. The game comes with a bunch of snap-together modular terrain. Most of it looks like ruined brick buildings, representing the aftermath of the Martians initial attack on the town of Greenville, USA. The terrain pieces, molded in red plastic, can be assembled in a wide variety of configurations utilizing some clever snap on connector pieces. Additionally, there are piles of rubble, fences, a street sign, a road sign, mailboxes and trash cans.

Cover (having something to hide behind) is pretty vital to the gameplay. The included scenery provides ample opportunities for cover for both the invading Martians and the defending humans. It’s great stuff. Mantic also sells the scenery separately, so you can expand your terrain options if you’d like.

Gameplay is pretty straightforward. The rules aren’t overly complex, yet allow for lots of strategy. If you’ve never played a miniatures game before, it would be easy to get into Mars Attacks. And, it’s quick. You can get a game in in just around an hour.

Combat is dice based, using the stats included in the rulebook. The play mat has a grid on it for basing your movement and combat on. There is also a deck of cards that grant special actions, events or abilities for both Martians and humans alike. The cards, along with the scenarios, help to bring a lot of replayability to the game. It’s more than just straight up shoot-’em-ups. One event card that came up in our game brought a giant alien bug onto the battlefield in a random location. It would then hop about randomly (there’s corresponding rules for scattering) at the end of each round.

There are basic grunt troops for each faction. Humans have soldiers and the Martians have generic troops. Spicing things up are the Hero characters. The Martians only get one hero in the box, the evil General Tor. The humans have nine. The human heroes, for the most part, are everyday people stepping up to fight of the fiendish Martians. There is one particularily interesting hero, Edwyn. Edwyn is a knight from 1504AD who fought the Martians in his time and was defeated and placed in stasis, only to be awoken in our time to continue his fight. The various hero characters all possess special abilities that aid in the battle against the forces of Mars.

I’ve been a gamer for a long time, and tabletop miniatures games are my favorite type to play. I’m really excited to add Mars Attacks to my collection, and plan on playing it alot. A lot of minis games today are very serious. Mars Attacks, befitting it’s inspiration, doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s color, wacky and weird. But, most of all it is fun! And, really, isn’t that what we want in our games, to have fun?

As I mentioned at the beginning, this game was funded via Kickstarter in 2013, and was very successful. Because of that success there’s lots more coming for the game. A few items are out not, besides the core game. There’s a pack of civilians that replace some of the cardboard tokens that come with the game, including a flaming herd of cows! There’s additional packs of Martian and human soldiers to bolster your forces, and additional scenery. There plenty more to come including characters inspired by the IDW Mars Attacks comic books and, my personal favorite: Martian Dredd. Yup. It’s a Martian dressed up as Judge Dredd. He’ll come in a set with a 2 dead US Troopers, and a dead Martian. Too cool.

…and, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

So, if you’re a fan of Mars Attacks, or of miniatures games in general, I highly recommend Mars Attacks: The Miniatures Game.

Back in mid-July Bif Bang Pow! announced they had aquired the license for the rock band KISS (who just wrapped up thier 40th Anniversary Tour), and about a week later announced they’d re-aquired the license for the 1980 Flash Gordon movie. Both licenses will be getting 3-3/4″ action figures as well as a veritable boatload of ancillary merchandise. We decided to go straight to the source to find out more about these two very different, but very exciting lines and contacted Jason Lenzi and Jason Labowitz of Bif Bang Pow!

AFi: Recently Bif Bang Pow! announced two big licenses for 2015. One was a new one for the company based upon the legendary rock band, KISS, and the other was a return to an old favorite, the 1980 Flash Gordon movie. Could you tell our readers a bit of how each of these came to happen?

BBP: I’d be happy to, thanks for asking! As most Bif Bang Pow! followers know by know, the 1980 ‘Flash Gordon‘ movie is one of my favorite things of all time. I’ve spent the better part of 30 years trying to turn people on to it’s charms, and when BBP! launched we proudly gave the world what it’d been missing since the film came out: a line of action figures! We made bobble heads as well, but I never felt that was enough and vowed we’d come back to that title again some day. From first releasing those figures in 2007, BBP! has grown from me banging on doors begging studios to listen, to the studios calling us for meetings. So, the time seemed right for us to indulge one of my passions again, but this time to broaden the scope of items. But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the jaw dropping phenomenon of Sam Jones’ appearance and all the ‘Flash Gordon‘ love in the movie ‘Ted‘! (I never thought there was someone out there that loved this movie as much as me and Alex Ross). Between the 3 3/4″ craze and Seth McFarlane’s love letter, the time seemed even more perfect to go back to Mongo.

As for KISS, I gotta give it up to my business partner of nearly a decade, Jason Labowitz. He’s been a KISS fanatic since childhood, and he’s worked tirelessly for a long, long time to make that license happen . A lesser man would have given up ages ago, but his passion is strong, and, like me, he wants these cool toys for himself!

AFi: We’ll get back to Flash Gordon in a bit, but I want to focus on KISS for a moment – specifically the action figures that have been announced. You are doing 3-3/4″ figures in the retro style, correct?

BBP: Yes, but we like to call ours “enhanced” retro style. Our version of retro style is reminiscent of the 70s, but with a tad more attention to detail. People forget that companies like MEGO and Mattel were churning out figures in the late 70s that had amazing likenesses, and in the case of MEGO, sometimes more than just the five points of articulation. When we can, we’re going to add more movement to our figures.

AFi: KISS has never gotten the 3-3/4″ treatment before now, have they?

BBP: Correct! This scale has never been made before.

AFi: Now, the band has had a variety of different looks over their 40 year career. Sales permitting, are there plans to visit these different looks as action figures?

BBP: The plan is to make what fans (and us) will love, what will be approved, and what will sell. Keeping all those factors in mind, we will most likely focus on the 1970s and early 1980s looks. Multiple waves are planned, and our goal is to keep this figure line alive as long as possble.

AFi: Which look are you planning to kick things off with? Going to go with the current ‘Monster’ album, back to the beginning or something in between?

BBP: It’s a tad too early to reveal our launch items, but see the prior answer for a clue.

AFi: Will they come with instruments? I’d imagine a full set of drums would be difficult to find on a card, but at least drumsticks, along with guitars?

BBP: Cost permitting, we want to add as many complimentary instruments as possible.

AFi: Will these be unveiled at Toy Fair or will fans get a look at them before then?

BBP: Our latest strategy is to show the press and fans our sculpts when they are final and nearly ready to ship. It’s still too early to know if that wil happen at New York Toy Fair. Our business-to-business customers will see the line at New York Toy Fair, however.

AFi: It must be exciting to be part of the KISS entertainment property. They seem to be the most merchandised band around, and masters at getting their brand out there.

BBP: It’s very exciting. We have personal connections to the products we like to make and we are super KISS fans. In a way, this license is a hard one to tackle, because – as you stated – so much merchandise has already been made. Given that, our products need to seem different enough to seem fresh, yet familiar enough to sell well. And from our initial internal reviews, and from concepts that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have already approved, we are on track to satisy the KISS Army!

AFi: OK, let’s head back to Mongo and talk some Flash Gordon. How long have you been hoping to get the Flash Gordon license back? And, why now?

BBP: As I mentioned earlier, Flash and his pals have always been on my mind for another visit, but we felt like the was right. With all of the titles that are getting the 3-3/4″ treatment, either as first timers or reboots, it’s only fair that ‘Flash Gordon‘ gets to share the shelf space. It’s one of the few properties from the action figure heyday that never got a line, but certainly should have. And, I have to think ‘Ted‘ helped it’s profile!

AFi: Does the new license extend beyond the film and cover any of the original comic book looks of the characters? On the King Features site they used the classic comic strip art along with the PR announcement.

AFi: As you can imagine, Flash Gordon in 3-3/4″ is pretty much a dream come through for me. These are the figures I wanted back in 1980 after seeing the movie. What can fans look forward to in this new line?

BBP: Well, at the risk of sounding a bit full of myself, I hope that people can see the love and care that goes into everything Bif Bang Pow! does. We really are fans of this stuff first and foremost. Having said that, if you like what we’re doing with our ‘Twilight Zone‘ range of 3-3/4″ action figures, then you’re going to love what we’re doing with ‘Flash‘. In my perfect world, we’ll get to make all the main and secondary characters, with lots of surprises thrown in. But, as you know, it’s all going to depend on the support the line gets.

AFi: Besides the scale and style of the figures, how are you approaching the line in light of having visited this well twice before with the 6″ and 8″ Mego-styled figures?

BBP:Well, it’s going to be a combination of ‘must haves’ along with variants and characters we haven’t yet made. So, it’s a given that Ming in his classic red robes and Flash in his classic red tank top are going to be there, but beyond that you’ll just have to make you’re wish lists and wait and see!

AFi: Like KISS, the new Flash Gordon license also includes ancillary products, giftware and such, correct? Can you share some of the plans for those items with the readers?

BBP: We’ll basically be giving the movie the merchandise it’s always deserved: drinkware, tins, journals, license plate frames and more. Again, I’d rather let those be surprises. But, if anyone is a fan of ‘Flash Gordon‘, and your imagination to those categories and you’re getting close…

AFi: Just as I asked regarding KISS, will we be getting a look at the new Flash figures prior to Toy Fair or will that be their unveiling?

BBP: See above.

AFi: And, lastly, when can we expect your new Flash Gordon figures to be available?

BBP: Mid-2015. That is, if Ming doesn’t get bored again and bring his wrath (and hot hail!) down upon us.

A huge “Thank You” to Jason Lenzi and Jason Labowitz of Bif Bang Pow! for agreeing to talk with us about these upcoming lines. They’re both still a ways away, but personally I’m really excited for both properties.

So, I turn to you my dear and erudite readers. What are you hoping to see in either the KISS or ‘Flash Gordon’ lines? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/chatting-with-bif-bang-pow-about-flash-gordon-and-kiss/feed/6My Last MOTUC Figure? Maybe.http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/my-last-motuc-figure-maybe/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/my-last-motuc-figure-maybe/#commentsFri, 22 Aug 2014 17:42:05 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=107095A year ago, I wrote a column entitled My One Last MOTUC Figure

In that column, I put forth if I could only get one more figure out of the Masters of the Universe Classics line it would be Skeletor from The New Adventures of He-Man. At the time said figure hadn’t been announced. It was just wishful thinking on my part. I had just gotten the New Adventures He-Man figure, and he needed his arch enemy before I’d be satisfied with the line ending.

That wishful thinking proved prophetic when Intergalactic Skeletor was later announced in November 2013 at Stan Lee’s Comickaze convention.

And, here we are in late August 2014 and I just pulled the Intergalactic Skeletor figure from my mailbox! I gotta say, I’m pretty excited. He’s a really cool figure full of character and great detail. It’s another out-of-the-park homerun for the fine folk at Four Horsemen Toy Design.

So, that’s it for me then. I’m done. It’s been a fantastic run. No more for me, right?

Um. Not so fast.

Matty pulled a fast one on me at Comic Con last month and revealed a two-pack of King Hiss and Snake Armor He-Man.

Well, crap. I need those!

Back in the days of the 200X Masters of the Universe cartoon and toyline, as it was all coming to an end Mattel released Snake Armor He-Man. It was a pretty cool design and the action figure based upon it looked great. But, I never saw one. In fact, the only time I saw any of the figures that were released in the Snake Men branded packaging was at a Media Play store in Columbus, Ohio. But, He-Man was not amonst them.

So, this is my chance. Maybe.

The original subscription period closed last week at roughly 90% of Mattel’s goal. Today they re-opened the subs for a brief period to hopefully hit that goal and make the 2015 line happen. If it doesn’t make it, then the curtain falls of MOTUC as it did on DCU Classics a year prior.

I think I read a comment from Scott Neitlich that, if the sub doesn’t happen, the two pack would still see release as a quarterly item. Of course, it could have been a fever dream. If any of my dear readers who are following the subscription saga closer than I could aid my failing memory, that’d be great. If this two pack makes it to production then that will likely be my last MOTUC purchase.

There was a lot to love about the line. A lot. But, there was a lot that was frustrating about it, as well. Both of which have been documented, ranted, railed and praised by fans over the past couple of years. I’m certainly not going to belabor it here. I’m more than satisfied.

Especially since Intergalactic Skeletor now stands proudly upon my shelf. So, for that, thanks to Mattel and the Four Horsemen. I know you didn’t do it just for me, but I still appreciate it.

And, if you want to see the 2015 line happen in all it’s glory Matty has re-opened the subscription period. You have until Monday, August 25th, 2014 to sign up. Just click on over to Mattycollector.com.

These days, thanks largely to the current movie landscape, when one thinks of superheroes it is the characters from Marvel and DC Comics that immediately spring to mind. However, comic books and it’s colorful heroes and villains have enjoyed a long, rich history to extends far beyond the big two publishers.

There’s a huge catalog of characters that sprang from the minds of writers, artists and publishers during the Golden Age of Comics who made a splash on the superhero scene, but then faded into obscurity as Marvel and DC rose to prominence.

Not one to let these great characters fade away completely, Bill Murphy of Fresh Monkey Fiction is looking to get some of these characters produced in action figure form via a Kickstarter campaign. Through the Amazing Heroes Kickstarter, It’ll be the first time most of the characters received the plastic treatment.

As of this writing the campaign is 50% funded will be ending on Monday, August 25th, 2014. So, there’s still time to get onboard and see these great characters receive the action figures they deserve in a format that should look very familiar to long time collectors.

Action Figure Insider took the opportunity to check in with Bill about Amazing Heroes, it’s origins and it’s possible future.

AFi: So, when did you first dream up the idea of the Amazing Heroes line?

Murphy: Amazing Heroes has been in development in one form or another for 6 years. It started out as a JLU-like animated line, then morphed into a 4″ articulated line and now into a retro 80’s line. We’ll be doing an Amazing Heroes development update on the Kickstarter next week and we’ll show an early look at some of the designs starting many years ago to where it is today.

AFi: Obviously, the line is very nostalgia driven. The line shares a name with, arguably, the greatest comic book-related publication ever, Fantagraphic’s Amazing Heroes magazine that was published throughout the 1980s. Was that intentional?

Murphy: No, not at all, although I will say I loved Fantagraphic’s Amazing Heroes magazine back in the day, it’s my all time favorite comics magazine.

AFi: With some many classic comic book characters how did you ever whittle things down to the Series 1 lineup?

Murphy: Let me tell you it was tough. There are so many great public domain heroes out there. As you can see from the figures, they all share a basic body style, so that drove what characters we could do as we were trying to keep the costs at a place where folks could afford the figures and have the Kickstarter fund. Given those limitations I think we were still able to get some really great characters into the line up.

AFi: Most of the characters started in comics, but have never been an action figure before. But, one character, Captain Action, started as an action figure and has also enjoyed a life on the comics page over the years. What prompted you to include Captain Action in Amazing Heroes?

Murphy: We were looking to bring a little name recognition to the line and I thought Captain Action would fit perfectly into the world we were trying to create for Amazing Heroes. I was a big fan of the latest re-launch of Captain Action so I contacted Ed and Joe at Captain Action Enterprises and they were all for it.

AFi: with so many other retro-styled figure projects coming out using the 70s/80s Kenner template…how did you arrive at the strong Secret Wars influence for Amazing Heroes?

Murphy: It comes down to my love for the 80’s Secret Wars line. It was my favorite line as a kid by far. I love the proportions of the base figure design, although there was a tremendous amount of part re-use, I still think the line is fantastic. It kind of reminds me of an animated look in a way, kinda a pre-curser to JLU. Plus, I really wanted to do something that had a bit of a different retro vibe then the other retro toys that are happening these days.

AFi: If Series 1 makes it’s funding, what are the plans for the line after that? Would a potential Series 2 be another Kickstarter or would you take it to retailers, Diamond, etc?

Murphy: Well wave 2 will be more golden age/pulp heroes and if we’re lucky we’ll try to add a few more licenses. I would like to stick with the Kickstarter route, but doing a licensed property on Kickstarter is tricky, some licensors are into it and some are not. Either way I would still approach retailers like Diamond if we could work out the numbers. This first run of Amazing Heroes figures will be pretty limited, like 300-500 figures per character, so we’d have to see how the math would work out for retail.

AFi: In a related question, will these figures be available to non-backers after they get produced?

Murphy: Yes, our plan is to offer the figures in the Fresh Monkey Fiction web store, but they’ll be limited quantities for sure.

AFi: You partnered with online retailer Big Bad Toy Store to take pre-orders for the figures for those who don’t wish to go through Kickstarter. How did that come about?

Murphy: Joel at BBTS hit me up about offering the figures and he was willing to work with us even though the assortment was contingent on the Kickstarter funding. Plus we wanted a way for folks who were unaware or unsure of Kickstarter to be able to get the figures. I cannot say enough good things about BBTS, they truly are really awesome guys.

AFi: Do the BBTS pre-orders factor into the Kickstarter funding at all?

Murphy: Yes, they do for sure. Although that said, if you pledge directly to the Kickstarter, you have the option of getting some exclusive figures that won’t be offered at retail, like The Champion of Mars and Silver Streak.

AFi: I’m sure you’ve got much more swirling about your head than what we’ve seen thus far. Where do you hope Amazing Heroes goes in the future?

Murphy: I do have BIG plans. I would love to see a female figure produced for the line and to get some licensed characters such as Flash Gordon and The Phantom into the mix, that would be AMAZING.

AFi: That would be amazing indeed!

Thanks, Bill, for taking some time to share about your project with us. All of us here at AFi wish you the very best with this project and your future plans as well.

For more information on the Amazing Heroes line check out the following links:

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/amazing-heroes-the-afi-interview/feed/0The Mystery of Skeleton Warriorshttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/the-mystery-of-skeleton-warriors/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/the-mystery-of-skeleton-warriors/#commentsThu, 19 Jun 2014 23:14:52 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=103426October Toys’ Kickstarter campaign to bring back the fan favorite toyline Skeleton Warriors has, as of this writing, 4 short days to go. They are at 70% of thier $45,000 funding goal to get Baron Dark made.

I’m optimistic that we’ll see a last minute surge (common with Kickstarter) and the evil Baron can enter into production. But, I gotta admit I am a bit stymied as to why this particular campaign has been such slow going.

I’ve seen plenty of discussion online over the years of fans hopeful for a return for this property. While it was short-lived in its original incarnation, it made a lasting impression on kids and collectors alike. There was nothing like it in the mainstream toy world back in the mid-1990s when Playmates first released the toys and the animated series ran on CBS on Saturday morning.

So, here we have a potential relaunch of Skeleton Warriors. The figures shown so far look fantastic! That’s a point in their favor. The figures are Glyos-compatible. That’s another plus. There’s a basic skeleton perfect for army builders. That’s another check in the plus column! The Kickstarter campaign has been trumpeted far and wide on action figure sites, horror sites, and more.

But, it is still not funded. And, frankly, that’s left me scratching my head. I thought a line like this would have funded in a day or two. But, here we are with only a few days to go, crossing our fingers.

George and Ayleen Gaspar (aka October Toys) have a real passion for this property and have hopes for the line to go deep…far beyond the characters already made by Playmates Toys. I hope that there is that last minute bump that puts the campaign over the top. I want a 3-3/4″ scale Baron Dark figure, and I really want to see the resurrected line continue on and give fans all-new figures of Prince Lightstar, Grimskull and the never-before-produced Talyn!

The campaign runs through Monday, June 23…so, click on over and pledge! And, spread the word!

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/the-mystery-of-skeleton-warriors/feed/4Boss Fight Studio’s Vitruvian H.A.C.K.S. Funds on Kickstarterhttp://www.actionfigureinsider.com/boss-fight-studios-vitruvian-h-a-c-k-s-funds-on-kickstarter/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/boss-fight-studios-vitruvian-h-a-c-k-s-funds-on-kickstarter/#commentsFri, 06 Jun 2014 00:20:09 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=102777Unless you’ve been living off planet for the past half a year or so, you’ve likely heard of the talented folks at Boss Fight Studio. Boss Fight Studio is a design team comprised of Erik Arana, Catrina Arana, Dave Proctor, Andrew Franks, and Fred Aczon. Collectively these amazing designers and sculptors have worked on many of the top products in the action figure world…Star Wars, GI Joe and Marvel, to name a few.

Together they have developed their own, in-house, 4″ scale action figure line: Vitruvian H.A.C.K.S, which is currently being crowd funded via a Kickstarter campaign. They’ve hit their $75,000 goal in just a few days and are now on their way to making their very cool stretch goals a reality.

What exactly is Vitruvian H.A.C.K.S? The name Vitruvian is meant to represent the perfect human form. The name goes back to the 1st Century Roman architect Vitruvius whose work served as an inspiration for Leonardo DaVinci’s famous Vitruvian Man illustration.

Well, why should historians and artists have all the fun? Boss Fight Studio seeks to bring that same aesthetic to action figures – perfect form and poseability.

The first wave, which is what is currently being funded on Kickstarter features figures based upon Greek Mythology. There’s a Spartan soldier and Medusa, and some wonderfully creative variations of each.

But, it’s not all about Greek Mythology for Boss Fight Studio. Their plans for the line looks to hit many different genres including fantasy and science fiction, and that’s just the beginning. Not only are they looking to provide insanely cool, super-detailed action figures…but, articulation is also of prime importance. Poseability is key with H.A.C.K.S. As you can see in the image below, these figures can move in almost any pose imaginable!

And, as the informercials say, “But, wait! There’s more!”

These figures are going to have huge appeal to customizers. The figures can come apart and be reconfigured in different ways (hence, the “kit” part of the H.A.C.K.S. acronym). Not only can armor and accessories be removed and swapped between figures, but the figures themselves are designed to be disassembled and reassembled…all the while holding their integrity.

It’s an amazingly ambitious line, and looks to be truly ground-breaking. The Kickstarter is still running, so now is the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this new line. For more info, just hit up the following links:

]]>http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/boss-fight-studios-vitruvian-h-a-c-k-s-funds-on-kickstarter/feed/0Funko’s Rocketeer Appears!http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/funkos-rocketeer-appears/
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/funkos-rocketeer-appears/#commentsTue, 03 Jun 2014 00:22:20 +0000http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/?p=102655As many of you loyal readers know, I have been eagerly anticipating Funko’s expansion of Super 7’s retro ReAction line of 3-3/4″ action figures. One of the figures I was most looking forward to was The Rocketeer, based upon Disney’s 1991 movie of the same name (which was, in turn, based upon Dave Steven’s amazing comic book).

I absolutely love The Rocketeer movie. I so wanted figures back in the day, but there was nothing. Well, there was a bendy figure…but, I wanted action figures! Over the intervening years we’d hear snippets of how the rights were a mess, or Disney wanted a ridiculously high amount of money for the licensing rights. Then a few years back Toy Biz announced plans to include The Rocketeer in their Legendary Comic Book Heroes line of 6″ figures…right before Toy Biz shut their doors. It seemed like The Rocketeer, as an action figure was not meant to be (well, as an affordable action figure anyway)

Funko to the rescue!

The release of the first ReAction figures was looming nigh, and Entertainment Earth just showed The Rocketeer as “in stock” a few days ago. But, imagine my surprise as I stopped by Things from Another World here in Portland, Oregon earlier today and saw they had the figure on the shelf!

Of course, I snatched him up without hesitation!

I love this figure! I dig the retro look. I love the little details that are still present on the figure (look closely at the rocket pack for a fun surprise). Yeah, the helmet is a bit big…but, that’s to accommodate the removable helmet. This is a fun little guy I’m super thrilled to have on my shelf!

Towards the end of 2013 Zica Toys released the first figures in their 3-3/4″ retro Six Million Dollar Man line. The response was very positive and Zica went to work on a second assortment of figures which includes: Oscar Goldman, two versions of Dr. Rudy Wells, the robotic Mr. X, and Barney Hiller the Seven Million Dollar Man. The figures look terrific and are a great extension to an already very cool toyline.

However, it’s a tough economy, especially in the toy world, and even more so for the small companies. Today Zica Toys owner, Craig Owen, posted the following on Facebook:

Based on the recent preorder numbers I’ve received it looks like the SMDM wave 2 assortment is at risk of being canceled. Considering how well wave 1 did I’m more than a little shocked at the low numbers for wave 2. For a small company like mine projects typically live or die based on preorder numbers.Craig

So, if you – like me – want to see these figures happen, click on over to your favorite online retailer and put in your pre-order at BigBadToyStore.com (both as singles or as a set) or EntertainmentEarth.com. Together we can help to make these terrific toys a reality!

A new edition of the 40 year-old role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons is on the way this summer. Now, this isn’t news to anyone following the world of gaming for the past few years. Wizards of the Coast announced plans for a new edition a good three years ago. But, today WOTC finally announced concrete dates and showed product images for the initial lineup.

WOTC will be releasing a new D&D product each month for 5 months to drive fans back to their local game stores, starting with a new Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set on July 15th (Thank you, WOTC. That’s my birthday!). This will be followed by the Players Handbook along with the first adventure Hoard of the Dragon Queen in August, the Monster Manual in September, the Rise of Tiamat adventure in October and finally the Dungeon Masters Guide in December.

Personally, I’m incredibly excited about the new edition and myself, along with some friends, are planning on jumping in. For them it will be their first experience with tabletop role-playing, but for me it will be a return to an old friend.

I was first introduced to D&D as a freshman in high school back in 1979. The game was a mere 5 years old at that point. There was an afterschool Dungeons and Dragons Club at my school and a classmate invited to come check it out. I was hooked instantly and played the game for years after that. But, life and other interests got in the way eventually and I stopped playing. It’s been since the mid-90s since I last played Dungeons and Dragons. So, a new edition on the horizon seemed like a perfect opportunity to go back.

I will certainly be picking up the Starter Set on July 15th and begin flexing my Dungeon Master muscles again! There be adventure and good times ahead!

Zica Toys announced today that they’ve reached an agreement with Captain Action Enterprises, LLC to produce Captain Action figures in the 3-3/4″ scale.

“I’ve been given the green light to officially spill the beans on the Captain Action project. The format is 3.75″ scale done in the classic 80’s Hasbro G.I. Joe style. Starting out the line will include Captain Action, Action Boy, Dr. Evil and the Silver Streak! Work is just getting started on this project but hopefully I’ll be able to start sharing prototype shots soon. So again, stay tuned!”

Super 7 blew collectors minds last year when they revealed they would manufacture the never-produced Kenner line based on the 1979 Alien movie. Then, it got even better when it was announced that Super 7 teamed up with pop-culture powerhouse Funko to grow the ReAction line beyond anyones wildest dreams.

ReAction is a time machine in toy form. Carrying on the aesthetic of the late-70s era Kenner action figures, ReAction will be visiting a variety of licenses sure to thrill fans of retro toys and, I’m sure, create new fans as well. At this point we’ve heard of the following licenses: Back to the Future, Aliens, Predator, Firefly, Universal Monsters, Terminator 1 & 2, Goonies, Escape from New York, The Rocketeer, Nightmare Before Christmas, Pulp Fiction, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv), Star Trek Classic and “many, many more!”.

With Toy Fair just weeks away, AFi went straight to the source: Funko CEO Brian Mariotti to find out just a little more about what we can expect from the ReAction line while saving the big surprises Toy Fair itself.

1.How did Funko come to be involved in the release and development of the ReAction line?

We loved the vision of Brian Flynn at Super 7 and his idea of retro action figures. So Brian and I thought it would be great to team up and utilize Funko’s large stable of licenses to grow ReAction more rapidly.

2. Star Trek Classic was listed as one of the ReAction licenses. What does “Classic” entail? Just the Original Series or everything prior to the JJ Abram’s reboot?

Yes Classic TV i.e. Nimoy and Shatner and the original series for now.

3. Stylistically will the ReAction line follow the model established by the Alien figures (neutral pose, straight arms, legs) creating consistency across all the ReAction properties?

Yes absolutely. We want everything to feel like a Kenner Star Wars figure from 1978.

4. For ReAction, are the figures always 5 points of articulation, or might there be the occasional extra points such as knees for sitting?

Always limited articulation.

5. You’ve mentioned on the Funko Funatics forums that you plan to greatly expand the Remco Universal Monsters line. Are the Universal Monsters figures going to be done in the Remco style, or the Kenner style? Was your comment directed more at character offerings rather than sculpting style?

More the Kenner style with additional figures not produced by Remco. As well as glow and black and white variations!

6. Will any of the major brick and mortar stores be carrying ReAction and/or Legacy?

We believe Toys R Us and Target are very interested in the vision of ReAction.

7. If ReAction is the hit we all hope it will be, any plans for vehicles or playlets? A Kenner-styled DeLorean for Back to the Future, or an Enterprise bridge would be amazing.

Yes Super 7 and Funko have a nice surprise up our sleeves for Comic Con on a play-set!

8. You recently revealed Buffy the Vampire Slayers Series 1 (Buffy, Willow, A Gentlemen from Hush, Spike, Angel and Oz) on the FunkoFunatics forum. Will each ReAction release consist of 6 figures, or will it vary from property to property?

Each property varies.

9. Many of the ReAction licenses are older properties where the classic Kenner style “makes sense”. How did newer properties such as Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and such get folded into this style?

We want to be consistent with the look and feel.

10. Fans are already dying for the reveals to come next month at Toy Fair. Now that Alien has been released, how soon until the next ReAction line is released?

Toy Fair is going to explode minds. We will be unveiling 8-10 new lines of ReAction, many in their blister cards and some as prototypes in paint stage. It will be epic!

A big “thank you” to Brian for taking time out from his incredibly busy schedule to answer a few questions exclusively for AFi readers! We can’t wait to see what Funko and Super 7 have in store for ReAction at Toy Fair.